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elleng

(141,926 posts)

43. As of the 2010 census, the population was 971,777,

Fri Jan 16, 2015, 04:24 AM

Jan 2015

and a 2013 estimate put the population at 1,016,677. It is the most populous county in Maryland. Wikipedia
Area: 507 sq miles (1,313 km²)

Parents investigated for neglect after letting kids walk home alone.

It was a one-mile walk home from a Silver Spring park on Georgia Avenue on a Saturday afternoon. But what the parents saw as a moment of independence for their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, they say authorities viewed much differently.

Danielle and Alexander Meitiv say they are being investigated for neglect for the Dec. 20 trek — in a case they say reflects a clash of ideas about how safe the world is and whether parents are free to make their own choices about raising their children.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-couple-want-free-range-kids-but-not-all-do/2015/01/14/d406c0be-9c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html

about Montgomery County schools: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

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Not to sound like a codger, but I would walk a mile and a half to and from kindergarten [View all] Recursion Jan 2015 OP

Me too. bravenak Jan 2015 #1

Bravenak -- yikes, yikes, yikes Hekate Jan 2015 #3

Just saying... bravenak Jan 2015 #4

In my California town, we definitely have crossing guards by the elementary and jr. high schools. Hekate Jan 2015 #2

I walked four blocks to school, and then stood across the street Agnosticsherbet Jan 2015 #5

Crossing guards are supposed to be adults, not children. I've never seen a kid in that role. nt Hekate Jan 2015 #7

Grew up in Oklahoma, and all crossing guards were children. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2015 #9

Smaller population, slower pace of life. Maybe that's why. Hekate Jan 2015 #11

Blackwell, Oklahoma. Town of ten housand people. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2015 #13

I remember seeing a Peanuts comic strip where Charlie Brown was a crossing guard Art_from_Ark Jan 2015 #16

LOL Hekate Jan 2015 #31

In Cockeysville, Md., we called them "safeties". KamaAina Jan 2015 #71

I was a crossing guard in the 4th grade. A residential street divided the grammar school. . . Journeyman Jan 2015 #10

I was a crossing guard when I was in fifth and sixth grade... Brother Buzz Jan 2015 #12

LOL. Okay I give up. My memory must be failing! I remember JPOs on patrol... Hekate Jan 2015 #32

We were School Saftey Patrol, not JPO's (whatever the Hell that was) Brother Buzz Jan 2015 #63

Junior Police Officer, as stated in the first line of the text Hekate Jan 2015 #66

Mrs. Krowl, fifth grade teacher, did all our policing Brother Buzz Jan 2015 #68

Eh, I don't know if it's your memory. F4lconF16 Jan 2015 #73

Yes, me too. MicaelS Jan 2015 #34

The school in the next town over used hand held paddle stop signs Brother Buzz Jan 2015 #57

In 1977... Chellee Jan 2015 #14

Well... Egnever Jan 2015 #28

Kids were, back in the 1960s. MicaelS Jan 2015 #35

they were when i was a kid. it was considered kind of an honor. ND-Dem Jan 2015 #38

I was a crossing guard in the mid-60s KT2000 Jan 2015 #39

I was a... onyourleft Jan 2015 #56

Jezzuz H. on a crutch.. MicaelS Jan 2015 #6

Same here. elias49 Jan 2015 #25

Yup, my time too. MicaelS Jan 2015 #33

No kidding! KT2000 Jan 2015 #40

Hell, my friends and I would pack camping gear on our bikes and be gone all weekend FLPanhandle Jan 2015 #64

Early '60s, I walked 6 or so blocks to school, and crossed a 4 lane road with no stoplight. . . Journeyman Jan 2015 #8

I was a crossing guard when I was 11 years old in Portage, OH. I loved it. Luminous Animal Jan 2015 #15

They were more realistic about the dangers, too. Mariana Jan 2015 #20

don't most cases of missing kids involve a parent or some other family that took them ? JI7 Jan 2015 #21

I think most cases of missing kids Mariana Jan 2015 #29

I used to ride the bus Mbrow Jan 2015 #17

I was at two elementary schools. Jamaal510 Jan 2015 #18

I feel sorry for kids now days Cali_Democrat Jan 2015 #19

People really do believe that hundreds of thousands of kids Mariana Jan 2015 #24

I was a rebel glasshouses Jan 2015 #22

The school buses in our neighborhood... 3catwoman3 Jan 2015 #23

When I wanted to ride the bus my neighborhood had glasshouses Jan 2015 #26

My bus stop, from 6th grade thru... 3catwoman3 Jan 2015 #30

Yes, there are crossing guards, elleng Jan 2015 #27

The school district in Silver Springs still expects first graders to walk a mile to school. pnwmom Jan 2015 #36

Silver Spring is in Montgomery County, MD, elleng Jan 2015 #37

This is the policy of the Montgomery County schools. No buses for elementary kids who live within a mile pnwmom Jan 2015 #42

As of the 2010 census, the population was 971,777, elleng Jan 2015 #43

So what? The kids weren't trekking across the whole county. They were walking for a mile pnwmom Jan 2015 #44

According to the article, elleng Jan 2015 #55

You don't think the Seattle school district has places like that? pnwmom Jan 2015 #72

Here's a link to an interview with the kids and their parents, who are both scientists pnwmom Jan 2015 #74

If my older brother and I missed the bus, we walked. Contrary1 Jan 2015 #41

You went to kindergarten in the early 80s? Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #45

I can no longer plausibly call myself "mid-thirties" Recursion Jan 2015 #46

Oh cry me a river. Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #51

You went to kindergarten in the early 70s? Contrary1 Jan 2015 #49

I know. Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #50

Oh yeah? "When I was in Kindergarten, we had William Howard Taft on the wall!" Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #53

"Now children, turn to face the Taft." Arugula Latte Jan 2015 #62

I was in kindergarten when Kennedy was elected Maeve Jan 2015 #58

No kidding! pipi_k Jan 2015 #65

My town has crossing guards all over the place. Kablooie Jan 2015 #47

I walked as well Sherman A1 Jan 2015 #48

Codger merrily Jan 2015 #52

We used to ride our bikes a couple miles to the Woolworth's and buy candy, and we were probably 7. Warren DeMontague Jan 2015 #54

I just finished cursing out parents Prism Jan 2015 #59

The public school my kids went to in the mid-90's SheilaT Jan 2015 #60

Most of the parents I am friends with do let their children roam free in the neighborhood. NCTraveler Jan 2015 #61

My parents as well as just about every parent in the neighborhood HappyMe Jan 2015 #67

In the 'sixties we walked about a mile to school in fluid mobs of neighborhood children. hunter Jan 2015 #69

In the snow? KamaAina Jan 2015 #70